Field and stream - Andrew Allman Dullstroom

Field and stream Dullstroom

Andrew Allman

The Outlook from the cottage above Meike's Meir

We all have that preferred golf club, or special rod, a favourite fly or even our best loved rig that we return to when we need it most. We naturally try to grow our skills and keep up with the latest trends and technology but when we are experiencing a prolonged dry- patch or have not caught for a while, then no advice is better than our own repository of personal experience.

Friendships are no different. Acquaintances are ten a penny and they will always be near when the goings are good but when your back is to the wall then your true buddies stand tall and it is to them you return for your escape or just for a listening ear.

Fishing resorts also hold some significance for us. We remember the place where we caught our first trout, the spot where we hooked and then lost that monster trout or the site of the ‘honey hole’ where fish just seemed to attach themselves to our hook. We also return to those favoured haunts where we know we are almost guaranteed a decent sized fish, coupled with a good night’s rest, in pleasant and tranquil surroundings. In a nutshell we return to venues which we believe will reduce our stress.

Field and Steam is one of those places that seems to thrive on many happy returns. Some people first visited the farm 25 years ago and have been making the annual pilgrimage every year thereafter and see no reason to change now. Even youngsters who visit the waters for the first time, outwardly express their intention to return! I was anxious to find out exactly why and with the relaxation in lockdown rules, I was determined to put Field and Stream to the test.

Into this conundrum add a fishing buddy, whom we shall call Chris who 10 years ago, left the Highveld waters for the mountain streams of the Cape. Chris recently returned to Gauteng and was hell- bent on catching something a little bigger than the ‘fry’ he had come to appreciate in streams near his home. I have known Chris for many years and besides being a damn fine bloke, he has the further attribute of being a very good fisherman of all sorts. The offer to visit Field and Stream could not have come at a better time and I was more than happy to have Chris alongside me at the water’s edge.

Some of us who write experientials know just how difficult it can be to catch fish almost on demand and then photograph them single- handed and release them safely back into the water. The stress to both fish and fisherman can be avoided if one is fortunate enough to have a companion to carry both the landing net and camera whilst shadowing the fly fisherman as he walks his beat. In our case, we decided to share the chore based on priority given to the “Fish On” call.

Prepping for a late afternoon session

I couldn’t have been happier to travel back to Dullstroom, a leisure paced 2.5hour journey from Johannesburg and with inter- provincial travel once again opened up but with less people on the roads, the kms. just seemed to fly by. Once in Dullstroom, we were directed to Field and Stream turnoff which was around 9km from the town along the road to Tonteldoos. It was then another 2 km down to the cottages.

Our accommodation was situated overlooking the dam, ‘Meike’s Meir’ with a weir (Williams’ Favourite) a bit further on and some hills in the far distance. Although the dry brown landscape of winter prevailed, the view from the covered veranda over the water, was splendid. We found the accommodation to be comfortable and easily able to sleep four adults in two rooms, each with separate bathrooms and then there is a loft suitable for a few kids. I was informed that around 30% of Field and Stream guests are fly fishers who are free to fish two dams, a weir and when flowing freely, around 4km of the Witpoort river is available.

Most visitors are there just for the relaxation and I am told the area holds quite a bit of history. There are 5 units of accommodation suitable for 2 to 10 sleepers and the farm can sleep up to 30 guests at any one time. There is a boma and conference centre for those larger groups.

Greg Williams, the Owner is hands on. The farm extends 926 fenced hectares and is home to both cattle and game. Greg built up everything from scratch and whilst he no longer resides on the farm, he visits there every day and is intimately involved in it’s running and most passionate regards his trout

Safely released

whom he treats with the same enthusiasm as his pet dogs.

Greg introduced 2 production reservoirs to grow his fish up to a max of 2kg before they are introduced at various growth stages into the farm waters. Greg tries his best to emulate the right mix of trout sizes, that one would expect to find occurring naturally. I am informed that the farm do not only stock from these ponds , but have several other direct stockings from the hatcheries to supplement and add a few decent sized Browns to the mix.

The water clarity in both dams, being winter and with the source originating on the farm was seen to be of a very high quality and with not much foliage to hide behind, we did have to crouch or stand away from the water’s edge. I visited the growing ponds and was witness to a re- stocking exercise which will again be performed in a few months. This process is ongoing and ensures that there is abundance of trout. Greg informed me that fly fishers mainly practise catch and release with barbless hooks and that there are no real predators threatening his trout population. He believes the trout mortality rate is mostly due to natural causes and that through his stocking programme there are therefore some very large fish on the property.

On that score, both Greg and Manager, Gavin go out of their way to ensure fly fishers

Early morning success

do in fact, catch. They suggest flies and tactics but as we all well know it comes down to how you find the water and handle the fishing on the day .The fishing can be quite technical at times and we did not experience very large daily catches either by ourselves or from those whom we met but that is not to say it does not ever happen!

Greg informed me of a strange natural phenomenon that occurs annually with the first rains when small tilapia somehow find their way into his farm waters and the trout become very aggressive in their attempts to hunt them down. I will make a mental note to contact Greg to ascertain when this happens again and hopefully will be in the area and can partake in the ’tilapia run’.

We caught at both’ Meike’s Meir’ and ‘Matuka Dam’, did not fish the river and were not successful in the weir. To be fair, we did not give the latter much of a chance as

Tranquillity over Meike’s Meir before the evening rise

we were not keen to cross the stepping- stone wall to fish from the level ground on the far side. Our attempts were all from the rock ledges on lodge side of the weir which we saw had a deep drop- off into the water below but with the limited casting space, these efforts were rather half- hearted.

There are some big fish in those dams and my preference is for ‘Matuka’ dam which is out of sight and away from any activity of the cottages but just a short walk/drive away. The dam is unusual in that part of the old wall was washed away and forms a channel between the original and new wall incorporating an enlarged area. That channel is deep and therefore considered a good holding spot. We caught on the western side of the dam and behind the aforementioned old wall.

I am an average fly fisher, gaining most joy from the experience and not the catch. My buddy asked me to impart what I knew about nymphing. I am pleased to say that the student was most ardent in his ministrations and indeed bettered the teacher on the final scorecard.

One aspect I feel worthy of account is the number of fish who followed the fly virtually to the water’s edge and then swerved away at the last instant. It was that micro moment of truth when you decided to stop or accelerate your retrieve that either left you with a grin or a frown. There would be absolute quiet and then from no- where an expletive charged the air and you knew that someone had made the wrong choice!

We tried an array of flies suggested by those in the know , but at the end of the day we returned to some old favourites such as the black/green Woolly Bugger with flash, either fished alone or with a PTN dropper; with the latter being the most successful fly of the trip. This was all fished on intermediate line. ‘Meike’s Meir’ on the other hand, is particularly suitable to floating line and White Death is a killer when the sun has dropped and the trout have come out to play.

Aside from the fishing, there is hiking and prolific bird life with the sight of my favourite species, the Malachite Sunbird a welcome return for both my fishing buddy and I.

‘’Will I return’’?

‘’Do fish Swim’’?

Happiness is ...